In the handling of cloth, it is often desirable to move a single piece of cloth or like material from a stack to another position, and oftentimes it is desirable to effect a folding of the piece of cloth during, or coincidence with, movement thereof. According to the present invention a cloth pickup and folding head is provided which allows those functions to be accomplished in a simple and effective manner. The cloth pickup and folding head according to the invention has the desirable attributes of few working parts, inexpensiveness, adaptability, ajustability, and ease of construction and repair.
According to the invention a cloth pickup device is provided which comprises first and second jaws. The jaws are mounted so that they are pivotable about first and second axes. The axes are substantially parallel to each other and are spaced so that the jaws are pivotable from a first position wherein they are in operative clamping position with respect to each other to clamp a piece of cloth therebetween, to a second position wherein they are in unobstructed open position to allow a piece of cloth to freely pass into a position therebetween. A cross member with depending side walls and with pivot rods extending through the jaws between the side walls may be provided for mounting the jaws.
In order to secure the jaws in the position to which they have been moved, an overcenter spring means is provided. The overcenter spring includes a coil spring mounted in a cavity in the second jaw and a steel ball bearing pressed by the spring and engaging a depression in the first jaw. The ball bearing is positioned between the jaws so that each line between the ball bearing and a pivot axis makes substantially the same angle with a line between the pivot axes.
A plurality of needles extends through the first jaw, each needle having a needle point extending outwardly from the first jaw to the second jaw to cooperate with the second jaw to pierce and hold the piece of cloth clamped between the jaws when they are in their first position. The needles are screw threaded, or otherwise adjustably mounted, in the first jaw so that the distance the point of each needle extends outwardly from the first jaw may be adjusted.
A mechanical actuating means engages the jaws and moves the jaws from the first position to the second position thereof. The mechanical actuating means comprises a plunger mounted for reciprocal movement through the cross member toward and away from the jaws.
The pickup head according to the invention is normally provided in combination with a conveying system including a conveyor and a stationary stop. A lever arm, or the like, mounted to a power device, mounts the cross member of the pickup head for movement with respect to the stationary stop from a position wherein the stop does not engage the plunger to a position wherein the stop does engage the plunger, and effects pivotal movement of the jaws to the second position. The stop is located above a conveyor belt, or like conveying means. Depending upon the orientation and position of the cloth when picked up by the head, and the position of the stationary stop vis-a-vis the conveying mechanism and pickup head, the cloth may be merely transported from the stack (one piece at a time) to the conveyor belt, or may be folded during movement (such as where T-shirts sleeves are to be folded when utilized with a machine including an automatic hammer).
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a simple and effective cloth pickup and/or folding device. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention, and from the appended claims.